


Reflecting Stars and Reflecting Hearts

by Thequalityrunaway



Series: Kingdom of Gems [1]
Category: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Kingdom Hearts, Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Altered Lore, Crossover, Fusion, Kingdom of Gems, M/M, No Gender Pronouns for Fusions, Steven Universe fusion, Strifehart, Strifehart Sunday, gem lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-16
Updated: 2015-12-16
Packaged: 2018-05-06 19:54:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5428670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thequalityrunaway/pseuds/Thequalityrunaway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steven Universe & Kingdom Hearts AU<br/>Radiant Garden has changed since the world fell to Darkness, and so have the people who clawed it back - but none more than Cloud. In his self loathing over his forcibly enhanced Gem he isolates himself and cuts himself off from his Gem abilities. A displeased Leon decides to change his mind and show him that he's not as alone as he thinks ...</p><p>"I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being." - Hafiz</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reflecting Stars and Reflecting Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> Gem lore is applied but you don't need much prior knowledge of it to understand this story - I hope. If you are aware of the lore around Gems and Fusions and see inconsistencies please be aware that I have ALTERED the lore to fit the stories I have in mind.
> 
> When in a Fusion they used ungendered pronouns! If you spot a mistake, a Fusion using he/him or she/her please let me know so I can fix it!

The skies parted over Hollow Bastion and gentle moonlight reached down to paint the rooftops grey in the night. Cloud watched the lamplight and the moonlight shade the houses bellow in the sleepy town and sighed as he watched the last few citizens make their ways to their respective homes. The lamplights twinkled in the night like the stars and guided the people home just like their heavenly counterparts, but Cloud was once again questioning if he had a home here ...

True; Aerith, Tifa and Squall-now-Leon were here along with the enthusiastic wizard, Cid and Yuffie; but …

Cloud clenched his hands into fists and felt his Gem press against the stone behind him – his Gem and then the unnatural ring of smaller Gems fragments linked to him through experiments and enhancements which had changed him completely. No longer was his Gem a natural gold like in his childhood – it glowed a sickly green like the inner rings of his eyes betraying the Mako enhancements that had been forced into him.

He didn’t belong here. He wasn’t the same Cloud who had ran through Radiant Garden's streets and laughed and who longed to be able to use his Gem to the maximum potential; weapon, magic, fusion and all. The Heartless war had changed all that. Now he couldn’t bear to think of someone seeing just how … _wrong_ he was now. Letting someone in that close …

His head rose when he heard the soft scuff of a boot on gravel. He looked easily through the night and spotted Leon approaching. Cloud hid a small smile as he watched his old friend and part time lover approach. It was nothing serious of late and even the tentative physical attraction and connection between them had been limited with a sudden focus on Gems and Fusion in their group - a focus Cloud dreaded and avoided as much as possible. Leon had changed too since the darkness swallowed the world, he was quiet. Not that he hadn’t been before, even as a child he hadn’t been very talkative but the quietness he carried with him now was not the lack of vocalization; another man changed by the Heartless War.

Leon nodded just the once when he approached and leaned against the wall a few feet from Cloud giving him plenty of space to leave should he wish to dodge the topic that was coming.

Cloud sighed and leaned his head back against the wall, firmly keeping his eyes on the horizon framed by lights. “I forgot.”

“No you didn’t.”

The counter was soft and tired. Cloud saw the subtle signs of exhaustion in his nighttime companion in the way his eyes unfocused and how the wall held most of his weight. The blond smirked “Training was tough?”

Expecting a retort, he was surprised when Leon merely nodded.

“What happened?”

At Cloud’s note of concern Leon perked up a little, realizing that his guard had slipped for a split second, he hid behind a scowl but muttered “It’s always hard.”

Cloud rolled his eyes in disbelief “You’re one of the best Fusion partners here, you’ve got a stable relationship with everyone at the house,” even as he pointed out the obvious he felt his shoulders droop in longing. To be normal … to be able to Fuse … to not feel so alone … to belong even! He wished he could just turn into light and become someone else just as easily as Leon could, as easily as the lamplight and moonlight blended on the rooftops, but he couldn’t. Any attempt had him tensing up in fear, he was too dark and he didn’t want anyone to realize just how dark.

“So could you, if you tired.”

Cloud glared at Leon “No. I can’t Fuse, I’ve told you-”

Leon turned to him and stepped closer “I know how you feel. It’s hard to be where you are. But-”

Cloud took a step back and his arms found themselves raised defensively as Leon pulled out his worries far more cleanly than Cloud ever could.

Leon raised his hands in surrender and spoke after a moment of tension filled silence “You’re so selfish …”

Clenched fists and the Gem growing warm against his skin were the only things keeping Cloud grounded. Of course Leon had seen his enhanced and embedded Gems. It wasn’t exactly a secret between them. He had never told him why he so against using his Gem, had he found out somehow? When? What gave him away?

“How?”

Leon’s face fell and shadows covered his visage. Cloud waited but Leon stayed in his personal shadow, eyes cast down and a strange defensiveness rising through his frame. Cloud knew that pose, he had seen it often in the mirror. Leon exhaled heavily and gestured for Cloud to follow him.

Cloud hesitated for only a second before following, trusting the brunet far more than he should.

They left the tower to stand on the cliffs of Radiant Garden. Once alone and away from any accidental passersby Leon began to elaborate. “I can’t watch you take what you have for granted. You _can_ Fuse but you choose not to,” there was slight anger in Leon’s voice now. “I don’t understand you.”

Cloud got defensive at once “After what happened to me I don’t think anyone would want to Fuse with me.”

“Has it physically stopped you Fusing?” Leon asked in a calmer voice.

Cloud shook his head at the older male.

Leon laughed humorlessly “Fine.”

The blond crossed his arms “Did you bring me here just for a refusal?”

The taller male tilted his head back and sighed deeply “I know what it’s like to be different from before.” He took a deep breath and began to speak “I was fighting with the last people of this world in that castle just before our world fell. No one could keep the Heartless back in the end, we were overwhelmed.”

Nodding slowly Cloud felt a small swell of sympathy. Leon had been one of the last to fall in Radiant Garden, he’d lasted to the end and watched everything vanish into darkness and all he could do was fight futilely. Cloud had fallen just as the battles began to get serious so he hadn’t seen the worst of the War, although fighting through the drowning Darkness and then getting experimented on by a crazy scientist and stalked by a former First Class SOLIDER general wasn’t an improvement.

“What’s this got to do with-”

“I got careless towards the end. A Heartless got inside my guard …” Leon looked down at his hand where his Gem was and clenched it with a frown. “My … it cracked my Gem,” he admitted at last an aura of shame hanging from him like a cloak.

Cloud felt the air leave his lungs. A cracked Gem! That was a fate worse than torture. Cut off from magic and slowly going mad from further cracks, losing yourself in what was meant to contain you.

He reached out without thinking and caught the Right hand in question to examine the damage, why hadn’t he told Aerith! Why was he still using magic! Did he want to die? Why was he still here so calm and - On the back of Leon’s hand was a _flawless_ Gem.

Cloud glared up at Leon “Not funny,” he growled.

Who did he think he was! scaring him like that!

Leon looked at his flawless Gem with distant eyes, he didn’t seem to understand that his joke had been sick and it was time to stop it. Instead he kept Cloud rooted and silent with another quiet sentence. “Looks perfect, right? I got lucky. After the world fell I was given this,” he touched his necklace “Griever armour. It helps.”

Cloud watched skeptically as Leon pulled the necklace from his neck. He held his hand back up for Cloud to see and with a shimmer of magic a solid crack almost touching either side of the Gem was revealed, with several smaller splinters fracturing off and revealing just how fragile a state the Gem was in.

The blond paled and reached out hesitantly to brush the tip of a finger along the broken surface. It was real …

Confused and worried Cloud demanded to know what he was thinking continuing on as normal with such a horrible wound! He had seen him using magic and Fusing like the strong Gem he was meant to be, was he trying to get himself killed? He felt his chest tighten at the thought of their past spars when he had not held back and pushed Leon to the limit of his Gem abilities … had he made his condition worse? His breath froze at the implication.

The older man replaced Griever around his neck and explained, his Silver Topaz Gem regained its disguise and was filled in with the armour’s silver. “Griever’s not just an armour for battle, it also acts like a vice to hold my Gem together. It keeps me sane and lets me act as normal, but I can’t do any magic or use my powers without it. If I tried the damage would spread and …”

Cloud winced and his fingers tightened on Leon’s wrist at the idea of Leon disappearing too. They'd lost so much, he couldn't disappear too ...

Leon sighed deeply and wearily pulled his shoulders up “I can’t do anything alone, or easily now. I can’t depend on others to keep me together even if I wanted to, only Griever. But you can, and you choose not to … I don’t understand why, and I hope you can see how offended I am by your choice,” he finished with a tight expression of longing.

Lowering his head in shame Cloud acknowledged that Leon would take issue with his choice.

“I can’t Fuse … you’ve seen my Gem, it’s been changed. No one would accept me-”

“Bullshit. The others could care less about your Gem. I could care less …”

Cloud raised an eyebrow and then exhaled with a halfhearted chuckle. “Right. If the others can bring themselves to Fuse with a broken Gem then why not an enhanced one?”

Leon’s eyes widened and his face drained of colour at Cloud’s joke “No! Don’t say anything. They don’t know.”

“What!”

Leon rubbed his scar at Cloud’s outraged expression “If they knew then they’d stop Fusing with me, they’d treat me like I can’t do anything,” he lowered his hand “They can’t know. I don’t want things to change for the worse. You hardly Fuse, I bet it’s lonely …” he looked away suddenly, aware that he’d likely overstepped a boundary.

Cloud sighed as he understood why Leon kept his secret in the dark – it made sense. He was still mad that Leon was not looking after himself and still pushing himself, and he felt oddly protective now that he knew about him.

But his last words were the ones that hit home the hardest.

“It is.”

Two pairs of blue eyes met and Cloud felt his Gem warming the skin on the back of his neck and Leon’s Gem warmed his hand – he hadn’t realized he was still holding it. Still looking into the other’s eyes their free arms rose and linked too.

Cloud realised what they were doing and felt his cheeks flush “Leon … I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve tried to Fuse with others … I really _can’t_ do it,” he confessed. “I can’t be that.”

Leon sent him a small and reassuring smile “Just … be yourself.” He took a step backwards and paused for Cloud to step with him. Cloud stepped in time to the simple box and waited to see what would happen. When Leon made no move to try and bring more intimacy or other Fusion elements into the steps Cloud’s confusion grew.

“Aren’t we-”

“No.” Leon interrupted, a small blush painting his cheeks “Don’t think about Fusion for a bit. Just try and synchronise.”

Cloud absently realised that their little box was turning now with a small noise of bewilderment “Just synchronise? For what?”

Leon smirked “Practice. You keep missing training so we’d better start with some basics for your tardy ass. Step up when you’re ready.”

Cloud snorted but didn’t stop the gentle sway they had begun to coordinate to. As the steps continued he became aware of his breathing and heartbeat and the cool night air, the rhythm of their turning putting a constant and reliable element into the otherwise unpredictable world.

Slowly and surely Cloud relaxed, this was … actually rather pleasant. His Gem was warm and glowing along with Leon’s like the sky and lamps reflecting through the horizon.

Cloud pulled away slightly and stepped up the pace. Leon’s eyes lit up and he matched him, keeping the steps simple as Cloud stretched his wings for the first time in years and Cloud felt light!

The blond let a smile appear briefly, hiding it when Leon began to smirk.

Suddenly Leon spun him, Cloud faltered for a step but a forgotten instinct had him pulling Leon after him, keeping the balance of leader equal. Limbs seemed to move on their own after and their hands broke contact to move to their own styles while keeping the same rhythm. Cloud watched Leon’s flawless motion while aware of Leon’s eyes on him.

Leon danced with grace, every movement smooth and yet tightly controlled, as he watched Cloud his movements shifted, a wilder side bleeding through his grasp on control. Hips swaying and hair catching in the wind as he tossed it behind his shoulder.

Mirroring Leon’s shift in style Cloud’s motions gained a similar flow compared to the force and instinct that had driven him previously. They came close to each other many times but each time their hands or arms brushed in contact they’d merely slide past and keep dancing, synchronising just a little more each time until they were sharing the same dance.

Their Gems warmed almost unbearably and when Leon caught Cloud’s hand for a final time and brought him close for a final dance hold Cloud was relieved. The distance he hadn’t noticed before was awful but now it was gone and Leon’s trustworthy and strong presence had taken the space where it had lingered before.

They closed their eyes, Cloud smiling to finally be near someone again.

* * *

A bright light faded from their eyes and when they opened them the first thing they saw was the blend of lamp glow and moonlight on the rooftops. They looked around for their partner, feeling a sharp anxiety when they saw that they were alone – the feeling was suddenly echoed in another heart and just as quickly removed with a new but familiar warmth. _Where are you? – I’m here._

They looked down at their hands and felt a soft gasp leave their lips. “Your Gem!”

“There’s two-”

“It’s Blue, but how …”

The stranger shut up and their eyes widened. “L-Leon?”

“Cloud!”

The Fusion looked down at their hands again “We’re …” They admired the blue of the Sapphire’s in the backs of their hands with eyes that shone the same blue. “This is …” They reached up and felt their new appearance, Love, joy and yet more joy building inside them in an endless cycle that fed itself over and over as it passed back and forth. They realised what had happened.

They looked down and saw a Gem on their stomach shining through a familiar harness, steel tipped boots and navy trousers from an army long fallen. There was a white shirt and several belts on their hips which made an amused and pleased smile curl up their lips. Their hands were covered in gauntlets and their head was covered in a headdress shaped like a lion – Griever’s armour – after carefully putting it back into its necklace form they discovered the spiky brown hair underneath and the Gem in their forehead. They glanced over their shoulders at the unusual pressure they felt when the wind blew more clouds over the moon and saw wings!

They looked like Cloud’s singular cursed wing but this time it had a pair and two Sapphire Gems shone boldly out of the joints – claiming them as part of them. They felt a confusing well of horror and wonder before a rush of comfort overtook them, followed by acceptance.

Eyes closed they sorted through the rush of feelings back and forth, and the thoughts that overlapped and changed direction faster than fleeing schools of fish. It was so confusing at one point they thought their head would burst apart! But slowly, after wrapping their arms around them in an attempt to keep them from splitting apart so soon, the two voices stopped talking to _themselves_ and started talking to _each other_.

Feelings of warmth and comfort and joy rushed around and made them smile, almost made them laugh! Uncertainly, anxiety, worry and fear were quickly erased and deeper emotions emerged.

_I never knew …_

_Does it always feel like this?_

_It’s always different with different people. But this is … perfect._

_Perfect …_

_I mean that there’s no … blocks or gaps, no friction of emotion or personality-_

_I know. You knew what you meant so I knew too._

_Oh … we’re that close?_

_Yes. It’s so warm …_

_I know … Can we stay like this? For just a bit longer?_

_Yes! Yes of course. Stay._

Inside them, they felt the two halves that made their whole merge more and more perfectly until there was hardly any distinguishing trains of thought. No Cloud, No Leon. “I am not two people … and I am not one person …” they murmured eventually, looking up into the night with a smile and a laugh of happiness they spread their wings and flew!

“I’m a Fusion.”

* * *

Aerith had her hands over her mouth, Yuffie and Tifa’s jaws were hanging open, Merlin and Cid were staring but all the Fusion could do was smile at them and slightly self-consciously shift their wings. “Hello.”

Their staring was starting to worry them. They wanted to see their friends and show them what had happened, but hadn’t realized their reactions would be like this. They couldn't hide their worry, both halves of the Fusion instinctively trying to do so, to put up a mask for the world to look at while they stewed together in joint concern. But they couldn't disguise it, it was written in their every movement so plainly, it was so open! While their emotions and thoughts were parallel they knew they would stay Fused, should their emotions conflict … it would tear them apart. They resolved to be careful to hold together until they knew their limits, instantly gaining the other’s gratitude and making the Fusion feel warm.

They glanced at their friends faces and felt a small blush cross their face as embarrassment overcome them – They had just barged in without warning and called for everyone to come to the hall. Their sleepy faces had quickly become shocked and it was starting to make them worry – was it their wings? Was it their Gems? Was it-

Tifa recovered first. She stepped forwards and tilted her head “Cloud?”

They shook their head slightly and adopted a worried expression as she called out for someone who was right in front of her but different. “No, not really … I mean, yes he’s here, but I’m a Fusion-”

Tifa’s face lit up as they tried to explain the conundrum that every fusion felt – not two, not one, but individuals, and a whole. _He did it … he really did it!_

Yuffie ran past her to the Fusion's feet and her eyes were shining “Wow! You two look great together!” she wrapped her arms around their waist and stared at the Sapphire Gem glowing on their stomach “Aww, look, it matches your eyes,” she cooed, polishing the Gem with the tip of her finger. She looked up at them with an expectant smile “How do you feel? Cloud? Leon?” she made a confused face “Cleon?”

‘Cleon’ chuckled and ruffled her hair carefully with their gauntlet-hand “It feels ... amazing.”

Tifa and Aerith exchanged wide smiles “You’re happy,” Aerith whispered with tears shining in her eyes “You laughed.”

They looked at her and agreed “I am.” _We are._

The Fusion knew that their individual Gem personas never really showed emotion or affection openly because they were used to being alone, but now they weren’t and as the embodiment of their combined hearts, bodies and minds the Fusion displayed their emotions – Happiness was a big one. One they liked.

Cid grumbled “Nice pair of wings you got there, could be very useful around here.”

Merlin shuffled forwards and pulled on one carefully “Exquisite! What a well-balanced Fusion you are!” as he examined their wings he began to prattle about the implications that this Fusion had for the individual parts – implying in not as few words that both Cloud and Leon must have been _very_ compatible for such a successful Fusion to exist.

The Fusion listened while their friends began to gasp, coo and giggle with the idea Merlin had suggested mid ramble, another blush starting to steal their features as their halves pondered the suggestion only to realise that the other wasn’t at all opposed to the idea. With no control, they went red and covered their face. The girls fawned even louder and Yuffie shrieked in joy. They felt their halves reconcile and sighed happily when their acceptance and rush of affection drew them even closer – they felt stronger now and their Gems all began to glow with warmth.

Eventually Merlin realized he was crowding the new Fusion and halted mid-sentence to regain some formality “Oh, forgive me, you know us but we do not know you as this Fusion, do you have a name?” he asked, pulling his hands away from the wing when it flapped against the pinching hold.

The Fusion tilted their head, hands back down by their sides, thinking hard. _What’s my name? Do I have one?_ They looked at the Gems on the backs of their hands and thought.

Yuffie smiled and nuzzled their stomach, “I like Cleon.”

Tifa giggled “I bet _they_ won’t though. Give them time, they're new.” She pulled the younger girl away but Yuffie kept bouncing in place, eyes shining with the never conceived possibility right before her eyes! Cloud and Leon had Fused! And the product was so perfect, that meant that they were perfect for each other. She could barely hold back her screams of joy!

Suddenly the Fusion looked up “Blue. Blue-Sapphire,” they said at last.

Tifa groaned with a note of frustration in her voice “Really? It’s them alright, no other two idiots could be so unimaginative.”

After sharing a collective laugh Aerith stepped forwards and took the Fusion’s hands in hers “Welcome, Blue.”

“ _Cleon_ ~” Yuffie hummed in the background.

Aerith kept her green eyes on the Fusion’s, their Sapphire blues looking into hers with unbridled affection and the peace that she had only ever dreamed could be in their eyes, and here it was. They had found it in each other. They was perfect. She leaned up and pressed a kiss to their cheek “I’m so very happy for you.”

Blue-Sapphire smiled, they understood everything she said and meant. “I ... We are too.”

* * *

Back on the hilltop with the dawn light touching the roofs a single figure sat absorbing the warmth but the warmth inside was far cheerier than anything the sun could provide. With a small blush they glanced down at the Gems on their hands and chuckled hesitantly, bringing their arms up to hold themselves in a gentle hug.

_They know._

_So do we._

_This was sudden, but we don’t mind._

_I had no idea it could feel like this._

_I had no idea that just feeling_ this _would change things so fast, and so easily._

_Yeah. I wasn’t looking for this._

_Me neither. But we don’t mind._

_I know. We like it._

Blue-Sapphire smiled at the thoughts in their mind, and pulled his wings around himself too. They experienced the joy of existing, and the joy that continued to radiate from their core. “I am loved. I am love,” they murmured to themself, not disturbed by the fact that they was talking aloud- an entire conversation had been happening from the moment of their creation, what was a few words out loud?

Both agreed with their own words, unsure who had spoken them first or if it was Blue-Sapphire all on their own.

_I am not two people; I am not one person. I am … us. Us together, us in one form. I am happy. I'm a Fusion._

Blue-Sapphire smiled and relaxed they stood tall and tilted their head back and allowed their halves to reform themselves from their Fused embodiment. Blue was not sad to let them go, they were independent and happy and they were not alone – Blue was not alone. As long as they were together, every look and every conversation and touch between them Blue would be there – existing in the space between them and the space they made up.

Two forms appeared in a dancer’s hold.

They opened their eyes and stared at their partner with awe.

Without words Leon slowly linked his fingers through Cloud’s and let his eyes soften in a way Cloud had never seen before. Cloud brushed the bangs from his face and smiled when he leaned into his touch with those peaceful eyes. Cloud squeezed his fingers around Leon’s and placed his hand against the back of Leon’s neck. Gems gently glowed as their blue eyes closed and their lips brushed as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

For it was. Their emotions had rushed untamed between them, there was no hiding their desire, their affections now. And neither wanted to.

A cracked Gem and an enhanced Gem, alone both so flawed but together they were whole.

As they parted from the chaste kiss they saw the identical want in each other’s eyes; _I want to be together. I want you._

Blue-Sapphire was perfect.

That was proof enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Images of the Characters:  
> Leon - Silver Topaz - http://thequalityrunaway.tumblr.com/post/131898655902/steven-universe-au-leon-is-a-topaz-ranked-8-on  
> Cloud - Enhanced Prasiolite - http://thequalityrunaway.tumblr.com/post/131897963797/steven-universe-au-cloud-is-a-prasiolite-gem  
> Fusion image/design:  
> Blue-Sapphire - http://thequalityrunaway.tumblr.com/post/134230293337/blue-sapphire-fusion-strifehart-fusion-hardness


End file.
